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Lindsay Clancy‘s murder trial in Massachusetts resumed Tuesday with testimony from Rebecca Jollotta, a second psychiatric nurse practitioner who treated Clancy in 2022.
You can watch the trial live on CBS News Boston in the embedded video or on YouTube when court is in session. Court is currently in the lunch recess until 2 p.m.
Clancy, 35, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the deaths of her three children, 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan, in their home in Duxbury on Jan. 24, 2023.
Prosecutors, led by assistant district attorney Jennifer Sprague, say she planned the murders. Clancy’s attorney Kevin Reddington says she admits killing her children, but she shouldn’t be held criminally responsible because she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder.
Rebecca Jollotta, who works at South Shore Health in Weymouth and treated Clancy starting in November 2022, has spent much of Tuesday on the stand.
Prosecutor finishes questioning psychiatric nurse practitioner
On Dec. 15, 2022, Lindsay and her husband at the time, Patrick Clancy, called Jollotta to say it had been “the worst day” for Lindsay.
Jollotta testified that Clancy was having persistent thoughts of suicide and they were ready to get her assessed for a higher level of care.
According to Jollotta, she told the couple to go to Mass General Hospital, which has a psychiatric unit. Jollotta said she recommended inpatient care for Clancy.
The next day, Jollotta learned that Clancy had gone to the ER, but decided to remain outpatient. She began to attend a program at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island.
After less than a week, Clancy was discharged from the program in Rhode Island. Jollotta said she told Clancy she was concerned that she’d been discharged.
Jollotta said her last contact with Clancy was Dec. 21, 2022. On Dec. 30, 2022, Patrick Clancy called South Shore Health to say his wife was safe but wanted to go to McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts.
Sprague completed her questioning just before 1 p.m. by confirming with Jollotta that Clancy never told her she had a plan to harm herself and kill her children.
Psychiatric nurse practitioner eyed bipolar disorder
Jollotta said that after mostly speaking virtually with Clancy, she later met with her and her ex-husband Patrick in person on Dec. 6, 2022. Lindsay and Patrick Clancy were married at the time of their children’s deaths, but have since divorced and Patrick has remarried.
According to Jollotta, Clancy did not mention anything about hearing voices, hallucinations, or suicidal intent during the in-person meeting.
“I discussed to her and her husband the possibility of an underlying bipolar disorder,” Jollotta said.
Jollotta said she recalls Patrick Clancy saying, “My wife is not bipolar.”
The next day, Clancy messaged Jollotta to say that she had not slept well, took Ativan and then “got desperate” and took Benadryl.
“I’m desperate and really need help,” Jollotta testified that Clancy told her.
Clancy asked for different medications, and Jollotta again suggested that she was concerned about a potential underlying mood and bipolar disorder.
On Dec. 12, 2022, Jollotta said she told Clancy she “strongly, strongly recommend” a partial hospitalization program.
Clancy had an in-person appointment scheduled for the next day, but she called to make it a virtual meeting.
“I feel like I’m going to die and I don’t care”
Clancy was prescribed medications to help with her mental health struggles. According to Jollotta, after four days Clancy said the medication was not working. Jollotta said she encouraged Clancy to give it more time.
Jollotta said it was common practice to pair a low dosage of medications together to manage a person’s symptoms.
“I thought it would help with depression, anxiety and sleep,” Jollotta said.
Jollotta testified that Clancy did not report feeling suicidal, but said she “can’t keep going on like this.”
On Dec. 1, 2022, Clancy messaged Jollotta through the MyChart app.
“Sorry for all the messages, this is just a scary time for me,” Clancy wrote, adding that she was scared of starting medications. In another message, Clancy wrote “I’m willing to try anything.”
Clancy said she was concerned that she felt addicted to one of the medications, Ativan.
“I feel concerningly numb right now … like I have no emotion whatsoever,” Clancy wrote to Jollotta that same day. “I feel like I’m going to die and I don’t care. What do I do about this?”
Jollotta provided resources to Clancy for crisis intervention in case the symptoms got worse. She testified that she did not tell Clancy to go to the emergency room right away. She thought it seemed like anhedonia, which is a symptom of depression that can make people lose the ability to feel pleasure.
“My concern about that statement was that I wanted her to have access to the resources if it worsened,” Jollotta said.
Defense wants to call TikTok user
Before testimony began for the day, attorneys argued before Judge William Sullivan about potential testimony from Emily Thorndike, who posted a TikTok video about her experience working at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts.
Thorndike took issue with the positive description of McLean during Sprague’s questioning of Lindsay Clancy’s ex-husband Patrick.
Prosecutors say the testimony should not be allowed because Thorndike was not working at the facility when Clancy was admitted for treatment in 2022.
Judge Sullivan took arguments under advisement but did not make a ruling.
Lindsay Clancy trial
Julie Paul, the 61st witness in the trial, was on the stand briefly to start the day Tuesday. She testified for the prosecution Monday afternoon, telling the court she prescribed some psychiatric drugs to Clancy and that Clancy never mentioned having thoughts of killing herself or her children.
Paul was set for cross-examination on Tuesday, but it only lasted about a minute and she stepped down.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Lindsay Clancy faces life in prison without parole. If the jury of 12 women and six men finds that she was not criminally responsible for the deaths of her children, she will be sent to a state psychiatric hospital in Massachusetts.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email [email protected].
